How To Make The Best, Healthy, Fruit Salad On The Planet

Updated on March 21, 2011

This Healthy Fruit Salad Is Fit For Kings And Queens

Healthy eating is all the rage these days. That is why I decided to share my GO TO recipe for a fruit salad that is healthy and, so good you will not believe it can be made so quick. There are many things about this recipe that make it my all time favorite to dress up any meal or as a meal in itself. Let me explain why.

First off, the salad is easy to make because all you have to do is chop up your favorite fruits and add a few special, healthy, extras to make it one of the best dishes you have ever eaten. The second reason it is so good is because, it is so good for you. It is always a big hit for any dining occasion and that is a third reason why this homemade fruit salad is wonderful. I almost always make this recipe for special occasions such as a dinner party, holiday gathering or when you have to attend that potluck dinner and you want to make a big hit with those who will be attending. Kid's also love this healthy fruit salad and you don't have to force them to eat it. So, let me get to the apples and oranges of this remarkable taste treat so you can try it for your self.

Remember Composting

Just as a reminder, do remember to give back to Mother Nature by composting those peelings. Healthy Fruit Salad to you!

Homemade , Healthy And Fast

I would start by saying that this recipe can be made in so many variations that the only thing to worry over is what you like to eat in the way of fruit. I like almost every fruit so that leaves my fresh fruit salads wide open for experimentation. This being the case for me I do try to follow just a few simple guide lines when I make this dish. I try very hard to use FRESH fruit instead of canned. That does not mean I have never used canned fruit because I have. Sometimes you don't have a lot of options and you have to make do. I just would rather go with the fresh produce as often as possible.

That being said, I would also like to mention a few things about variation. I use this dish to carry to those pot luck dinners and during holidays when bringing a dish is required. There are some great things that you can do to spark up that special occasion with this dish. I will add those hints and suggestions after the main recipe. Now let's take a look at what you will need.

Basic Ingredients

a large sweet crisp apple

a large orange

1 cup seedless grapes, red or green

1 cup fresh berries

4 oz. vanilla yogurt

How To Make My Favorite Fruit Salad

Wash and peel all the fruits. Make sure you do not leave any seeds. The apple can be left with the peel on but, that will depend on individual taste preferences. I make it both with or without, depending on who I am making it for. I have found that some folks have trouble digesting the apple peels so, if I know in advance, I will take time to peel the apple.

Cut the fruit in to bite sized pieces and put it in an adequate sized mixing bowl that will allow you to stir the yogurt into the fruit. I use a rubber spatula or a large serving spoon and more or less fold the yogurt in to the fruit. When the entire mixture is consistently coated with the yogurt, carefully press the fruit down in to the dish. Do not smash it but rather pack it. Cover the dish with a lid or plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Make It The Best Fruit Salad On The Planet

Use the kind of fruits that your family or friends like the best.

Use a flavored yogurt such as vanilla, or a fruit flavor that complements the fresh ingredients. I like to use strawberry yogurt with fresh strawberries. I also like peach yogurt when we have fresh peaches in season. Use your own imagination here.

Make a large fresh fruit salad by doubling or tripling the ingredients. In the summer time I will do a 4th of July Salad and use three kinds of yogurt. I put the salad in a clear bowl and add 1/3 of the cut up fruit to each kind of yogurt. I then add the mixtures in to a clear bowl in the three distinct layers to get a red white and blue dish. I will use blue berries and blueberry yogurt, strawberries and strawberry yogurt and vanilla and banana for the white layer.

Winter meals make it fun to add coconut across the top for a snowy affect. I also like to use pomegranate to garnish and it adds lots of color.

Nuts chopped large enough to be bite sized will add taste and healthy benefits as well as variety and color.

Here are a few suggestions

Bananas and melons do not take kindly to being tossed around in a stirring fashion. I rarely use them but if I do I use them either as a garnish across the top and or I add them just before serving. The reason is that the bananas will turn dark and become mushy and melons become too watery. You can use them but take the extra care to add them right before time to serve the dish.

You can garnish the top of the finished dish with berries that are more pricey when purchased. That is to say that because the cost of raspberries might not allow for those to be a substantial ingredient, you can still purchase a small amount to spruce up your fresh fruit salad.

You can also add nuts to the top instead of mixing them throughout the dish. This would allow some people to be able to avoid the nuts when serving as some people may need to do that.

A sprinkle of cinnamon, all spice or other spice such as nutmeg makes for a great taste blast to please your taste buds.

For plain yogurt you might like to add a splash of honey just to give the dish a little sweetness but that is optional as is all my other suggestions.

Just Two More Suggestions

Do Not Tell the kids or those finicky eaters that they are eating yogurt. They will never know it. I get that one all the time, Oh Yuck! will never be heard from this great dish.

By rare chance if you have any left over, this makes the best smoothie. All you have to do is add your favorite beverage such as orange juice or some ice cream and a splash of milk and you have the makings of a wonderful smoothie. Blend it all together and you are good to go. ENJOY!

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I always make a big fruit salad at Thanksgiving. I don't really know why that is the only time I make one. This sounds like a great idea for Easter dinner. Thank you for the idea! Voted up, useful and pinning! Have a wonderful day! :)

Rusticliving 4 years ago from California

Wonderful hub on fruit salad. I grew up with my grandmother always making us kids wonderful fruit salads instead of fattening desserts. Your outline and presentation is very well done. Voted up , shared and linking to my Eating Healthy~Feeling Great Series! Awesome! Lisa

teaches12345 4 years ago

I love fruit and eat it as much as possible. I think the art of fruit salad has been lost lately -- your ideas encourage a comeback! I love the added yogurt and the idea of coconut for "snow" in the winter. Great hub.

Silja Paulus 4 years ago from Bristol, United Kingdom

Don't apples also turn brown in a salad? Or do you have some citric acid (from oranges etc.) in the salad that prevents it? Or is it just hidden with the yoghurt? I usually don't use apples in a salad, although I do like them. Using coconut for a snowy effect sounds great!

Kris Heeter 4 years ago from Indiana

I love fruit salads! I'm missing all the fresh fruit right now since it's winter but I still try to mix some fresh fruit with yogurt in the winter! Great hub!

myawn 5 years ago from Florida

I love fruit and yogurt I will make this yummy salad recipe

hayleigh sawyer 5 years ago

i love the idea of a yummy fruit salad... last time i made one i squeezed orange juice into the salad.. it was quite sour... i so regret it now and i surfed the internet and found some great ideas but this is the best by far...

C.S.Alexis 5 years ago from NW Indiana Author

wilrhoades,

You made me chuckle. Don't know if I should say I am sorry for her or suggest how lucky she is...guess it depends on which of my demons is ruling the keyboard.

Thanks for the nice comment and enlightenment!

Rochelle Frank 5 years ago from California Gold Country

So easy! Right now fruit is plentiful, and I'm always wondering what to put on a fruit salad. Thanks for the great suggestions.

Fastest Car Rider 5 years ago from California

nice information that is why you have so many followers

violalanders 5 years ago

This is a great information, I love it.

Vishaaa 5 years ago from Somewhere on this earth..

I love it. Berries and yogurt sounds yummyyyyyyyyyyyyyy,,,

myawn 6 years ago from Florida

I love fruit salad and the yogurt sounds good in one Nice hub!

Lucky621 6 years ago from The Sunshine State

Sounds delicious - I love both fruits and yogurt.

PaperNotes 6 years ago

I also love fruits and when I am in the mood, I whip up my own fruit salad by mixing whatever fruits I can buy from the market (apple, chico, pineapple, banana, etc.). Your recipe seems very easy to do and yummy too. This weekend I'll make this one with my daughter. Thank you.

Loren's Gem 6 years ago from Istanbul, Turkey

Sounds simple yet delicious. Thanks for sharing! :-)

john 7 years ago

yummy i want to eat too

Jim 7 years ago

Me gusta................cake

marisuewrites 7 years ago from USA

YUM, this is very good advice and berries are soooo healthy!! Thankyou!!!

frogyfish 7 years ago from Central United States of America

Oh, delicious and right down my alley. And I will make a smoothie next time there is enough fruit goodie left, I have not done that either. Thanks for the idea!

Nancy's Niche 7 years ago from USA

Now that fruit salad is the way I love to eat…Great article, hubs, eBay site, and blog. We Leo’s are a combination of creative and nature loving personalities …

ReuVera 7 years ago from USA

Loved it! Especially I'll grab a tip about fruit salad leftovers. Smoothie! So simple! How I've never thought about it!

C.S.Alexis 7 years ago from NW Indiana Author

Thank you G-Ma and SweetiePie for reading and commenting. I too am looking forward to fresher food with warmer weather.

SweetiePie 7 years ago from Southern California, USA

I love healthy fruit salad without all the heavy corn syrup, so your recipe is perfect. I hope to try it sometime.

G-Ma Johnson 7 years ago from NW in the land of the Free

Sounds wonderful and I also use the left overs in smoothies...but I freeze them first...also I like to use a watermelon (when in season) cut in half then shark teeth the edges and place all the mixed fruit inside...it isn't as pretty as yours tho in a glass dish layered...but just another way to do it...Thanks..... anxiously waiting for all the fruits to come back in season...G-Ma :O) Hugs & Peace

C.S.Alexis 7 years ago from NW Indiana Author

Constant Walker,

I sure did look for fruit salad recipes before I wrote this.I did not find yours. Guess I did not look far enough. I guess we did tap in to the same fruit salad god because I came up with my recipe about the same way you did. I needed something for a picnic I was attending in Texas and it was so darn hot I wanted something that would be tasty and refreshing. That was back in 1985. I used fresh peaches and peach yogurt along with the other fruits. There was nothing left of it. It is so good.

I just call it Healthy Fruit Salad, you were gifted with a perfect name for yours. HA!

Dottie1 7 years ago from MA, USA

Hmmmm, sounds delish! Never thought to use leftovers to make a smoothie. Thanks for sharing.

Netters 7 years ago from Land of Enchantment - NM

What a great recipe. Sounds awesome. Thank you.

Constant Walker 7 years ago from Springfield, Oregon

Hey C.S., I think we have channeled the same Fruit Salad God - even the yogurt and spices! (insert Twilight Zone melody here) Check it out: http://hubpages.com/food/Ambrosha

Great minds, eh?

Angela Harris 7 years ago from Around the USA

I make pretty much the same fruit salad. If I'm in a real hurry, sometimes I used canned mandarin oranges. Try lemon flavored yogurt- delicious!

Just_Rodney 7 years ago from Johannesberg South Africa, The Gold Mine City

Great hub, like all good natural and healthy meals, simple easy to prepare and full of goodness that taste great as well.

Love your tips and suggestions as well.

Purple Perl 7 years ago from Bangalore,India

My mouth already is watering.

Thanks,Alexis! You are right.Fruit can be refreshing and the best dessert choice anytime.

gjcody 7 years ago

Sounds like a great salad. I love fruit. My husband owned a product market and we do know how good fruit can be for you. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. My best to you and your health!